I am back from holiday and have continued to run not big distances, the last run this morning was just 2.95miles. I have 7 weeks till the Cardiff Half and 9 weeks to the Yorkshire Marathon. I am hoping to do 14 this week, coming, 16, 18, 20, 22 which is five weeks then obviously dropping down for the half which will be part of the tapering for Yorkshire Marathon.
I was thinking rather than the traditional 4 out and back, 3 out and back, 2 out and back and 1 out and back doing 3 x 2miles out and back totalling 12 then 1mile out and back. 16miles would be 4 2miles out and back with 20 being 5x 2 out and back plus 1 out and back making it 22. My problem is that whilst this looks doable written down am I putting too much pressure on myself - should I just go out and run taking each run one at a time?
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Pippa49
Half Marathon
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I don't even understand that at all, I think you need to find what works for you. Do you mean running back and forth on the same route? That sounds tedious and harder than a set circular route totalling the mileage you want...
No you run two miles in one direction and two miles back then run two miles in another direction and two miles back etc. Definitely not on the same route as that would definitely bore me silly. I was finding circular routes around my area hard going especially past 6miles so someone suggested I try the above mentioned. The original method is 4 miles in one direction and 4miles back then 3 miles in another direction and 3 miles back etc but I found four miles takes me quite a way and requires a very long hard going hill to come back up so decided I would do it my way only doing 2miles out and back in any direction. Does this make sense to you now?
Ah ok, so you're kind of doing stars/pinwheels! I don't see why it would matter if you do 4 or 2 so long as you meet your targets.
Have you considered driving to a flatter area to give yourself an easier long run? I did that the first time I tried a 10k as it's so hilly where I am, I knew the canal a few miles away would be much better.
Ah yes, that is trickier, and yes it's a big confidence boost when you are in familiar surroundings.
Try it your way, see how it feels. I really believe when we feel comfortable we achieve more than by forcing ourselves to follow a set way that isn't really in keeping with how we work.
GoGo _JoJo I agree 100%. Whilst I am aware that I have to do so many miles to feel comfortable when I reach that point in the marathon there is no set way of doing it. What suits one will not suit another. Pleased that you agree with me. I ran this morning along the seafront and through the town but back home now and am deciding if I should try my method out after swimming or leave it until a week today as it will be part of the next week of training (my training week goes from Monday to Sunday).
I don't tend to over analyse it too much these days, I Just go out and run. I used to spend ages engaged in running "what if?" thinking instead of actually running. The miles don't run themselves or get shorter or easier clockwise/anticlockwise/loop or out and back One thing against star shaped out/back legs is that you run past home at the end of each out/back leg. It's really hard to run past your own front door after having run any serious distance (e.g. it starts to rain, something hurting, you just feel crappy) and heading off to run km 23-24-25-26 etc. I've often had to run past my front door to get a full 21km run in. It's my pet hate. Just a thought.
That's very true. I often make myself a "get out" by having to run past my car to achieve a full distance, that way I have to really want it and if I'm done for I can cut it short.
Fair enough. I wouldn't start from my front door but the end of the street and come back to the same point. The advantage is if you needed the loo however the disadvantage is you could easily use it as an excuse to cut short the run if you are struggling, it's chucking it down, you feel a bit meh whereas if you are further away you have to keep going to get back home
The thing is that I had left enough time for the Yorkshire Marathon however as the weeks have passed I have got less and less time in which to get the mileage done and every week that I don't do a run longer than 9 miles is a week lost. However pride won't let me give up this time.
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One thing against star shaped out/back legs is that you run past home at the end of each out/back leg. It's really hard to run past your own front door after having run any serious distance (e.g. it starts to rain, something hurting, you just feel crappy) and heading off to run km 23-24-25-26 etc. I've often had to run past my front door to get a full 21km run in. It's my pet hate. Just a thought. 
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